Does an Online Seller Have to offer a Satisfaction Guarantee??

kvinbrwr

Skee Ball Monster Playa
Gold Member
To me this seems like Sales 101, so I was surprised to see some people taking the "a deal is a deal" stance in a recent "deal went bad" thread.

In addition, I recently was exploring buying a cue from a guy and asked him if he offered an satisfaction guarantee and he told me that once the cue left his hands he had done his job because his descriptions were meticulous. That was the end of that deal for me. I never got to judge the accuracy of his claim.

Seems to me as a seller, one would want the top dollar one could get, and putting the buyer at ease by allowing him to inspect the product would be conducive to this goal (unless you were trying to "get away with something").

Seems to me that terms that describe condition are subject by nature and disagreements over subjective terms dissolve into who is too picky or not picky enough.

Seems to me that if you were selling a cue to a buyer in your home town, you would certainly give him the opportunity to inspect it, and if it was a used cue, hit some balls. Why is mail-order any different?

Plus, if you accept PayPal as a seller, you are offering a de facto satisfaction guarantee anyway. Why not just make it easier on everybody and state your guarantee? For me, its 3 days (I think the buyer should have the respect to let you know as quickly as possible and after 3 days I figure the deal is done), inspection period with a return in same condition for refund satisfaction guarantee.

Thanks

Kevin
 
Last edited:
I agree as long as you are dealing with people who have solid reputations.
I bought a used cue from Michael at Omega Billiards last week and it should be arriving this week. He is giving me two or three days to hit with it and see if I want it. If I don't, (for any reason), I pay shipping back to him and he refunds my purchase price. Can't get more fair than that.
 
Last edited:
It's kind of a double-edged sword, so to speak. On one hand, I fully understand the issue with someone wanting to "test drive" a playing cue and returning it if it doesn't meet their satisfaction. A customer should ALWAYS be satisfied. So, to all the sellers on here, just let me say that ya'll are the kind of sellers that I wish to buy a cue from.

OTOH, when a seller of a cue loses potential buyers because he marks SOLD on his/her for sale thread, after they have taken/downloaded multiple pictures, spends time with PM's and/or phone calls to the prospective buyer answering multiple questions, takes the time to carefully wrap the cue and take it to have it shipped, AND to have to pay postage, I can understand their not wanting to refund the buyers money simply because the cue did not deliver the "hit" the buyer was looking for. I am not saying it is right, I am just saying that I can see THEIR side of the story. You may say, "well then, just refund their money minus shipping and sell the cue to someone else". All well and good, but what if the seller's OTHER potential buyers (that wanted the cue at the same time the original buyer got it) have moved on to another cue and are no longer interested? What if the cue gets damaged in the shipping or God forbid, by the original buyer? Then, it turns into a cluster-f*ck for the seller. Not to mention that if the cue was in new/unchalked condition, upon its return, may not be able to be sold using that description any longer.

I am also aware that there are more than one type of seller on here. There are cue-flippers, retail store owners, and the regular 'ol guys like me that just need to move an old, no-longer-used cue every once in a while. This can make people's standards/rules vary.

I'm on the fence on this one, but once again, kudos to all of you sellers that allow a buyer to get a refund on an unwanted cue!!!

Maniac
 
Last edited:
I would think that a person who acts as an "Escrow Agent" could help eliminate some of the disagreements. If he inspects the cue correctly, and there is a problem, he could negate the transaction before it goes any further.
:) my 2 cents.
 
Although a return policy is the only way to go when selling used custom cues online, I wouldn't let the recent
unusually odd deal gone bad thread influence anyone's mindset.
Nobody even got banned on that thread, what's up with that?
It was obviously not a legitimate flame war, and I'm sorry I posted on it.
 
Whatever policy a seller adopts, it should be clear before the sale.

I would pay less for a cue with a "no returns" policy.

Phrased differently, I would pay more for a cue with a "full satisfaction" policy.

I'm sure I am not alone. That should encourage sellers to offer a guarantee if there is nothing to hide.
 
I agree as long as you are dealing with people who have solid reputations.
I bought a used cue from Michael at Ozone Billiards last week and it should be arriving this week. He is giving me two or three days to hit with it and see if I want it. If I don't, (for any reason), I pay shipping back to him and he refunds my purchase price. Can't get more fair than that.

Hello James,

It's Omega Billiards. :wink::smile:

Thank you for your business.

P.S: Just notice that FedEx will deliver your cue today.
 
Last edited:
Although a return policy is the only way to go when selling used custom cues online, I wouldn't let the recent
unusually odd deal gone bad thread influence anyone's mindset.
Nobody even got banned on that thread, what's up with that?
It was obviously not a legitimate flame war, and I'm sorry I posted on it.

I love Bumper Pool.

People who don't, suck.
 
Whatever policy a seller adopts, it should be clear before the sale.

I would pay less for a cue with a "no returns" policy.

Phrased differently, I would pay more for a cue with a "full satisfaction" policy.

I'm sure I am not alone. That should encourage sellers to offer a guarantee if there is nothing to hide.

One of the ways a buyer can gain a clean understanding of the seller's policy is ask (rather than assume). A little communication goes a long way in sales, and both parties are responsible.

Kevin
 
I love Bumper Pool.

People who don't, suck.


You must be one of those bumper pool kids.
I grew up in a pool hall playing 9-ball.
Reminds me of dinner last Thursday night in Boulder.
We went to a Brazilian restaurant that was having a banquet for the physics department at C.U.
It was like a ****ing geek fest in there, and I bet every one of those nerds plays bumper pool>>:smile:

Bite me!
 
Im sorry but I disagree because I make purchases based on a good deal and with that said I make a purchase and if I dont like it because of the "feel" or "play-ability" I do not ask for a refund I just resell it. (unless it was misrepresented)
 
Kevin, what about when a seller sells a brand new unchalked xxx cue that you buy...you test hit it, don't like the hit and want to return it. How is the seller going to re sell it for the same price now that it is "lightly played"? I am sure some very good sellers with good reputations would have no problems being able to do this, but what about the guy who has only a 1-2 itrader if not less just from being new?

There is some gray area here in the buying/selling world of pool cues it seems on here. I have been in sales for 10 years and am a huge advocate of customer service....you've heard the cliche the customer is always right. Well....we bend over backwards to make things right, but the customer is NOT always right. There are situations where I could list that this is the case in the HVAC world.

At the end of the day maybe to help avoid similar situations ALL for sale threads will need to include the disclosure similar to ebay:

-No returns accepted
-7 day money back guarantee
-30 day money back guarantee
- x% Restocking fee for returns within 30 days
etc....
 
"Does an Online Seller Have to offer a Satisfaction Guarantee??"

Seems like the answer to this question is pretty obvious no??

Of course a seller does not.

On the other hand, of course a seller SHOULD!!!
 
At a business I visit quite often there is a sign.

It reads:

"3 rules of business:

#1 - the customer is always right.

#2 - the customer is always right.

#3 - If EVER in doubt, refer to rule #1"

This businessman knows that it is people that generate revenue; not the sale itself.


Incidentely, he does a lot of business with the public
 
At a business I visit quite often there is a sign.

It reads:

"3 rules of business:

#1 - the customer is always right.

#2 - the customer is always right.

#3 - If EVER in doubt, refer to rule #1"

This businessman knows that it is people that generate revenue; not the sale itself.


Incidentely, he does a lot of business with the public

I worked for several years in a small hometown business,and can tell you there are plenty of situations where a customer is dead wrong, and there are times when the customer does indeed need to be told they're wrong,because said customer will keep trying to walk all over you. There were even times when my boss kicked people out of the store.
 
Back
Top